Former President Donald Trump’s appeal to block former Vice President Mike Pence from testifying before a federal grand jury investigating Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 riot and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election has been rejected by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington. Trump’s court filing came in response to a lower court decision ordering Pence to testify, but Pence’s adviser previously stated that he would not challenge the order. Even though Trump can still appeal to the Supreme Court, he has not confirmed whether he will do so. A spokesperson for Trump has not commented on the recent ruling.
The subpoena was issued by special counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed in November by Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Trump’s involvement in the Jan. 6 riot and his alleged mishandling of classified documents after leaving office. Pence initially claimed that the “speech or debate” clause of the Constitution gave him immunity from testifying, but a federal judge rejected his argument and issued an order for his testimony.
Other Subpoenas Issued by Smith
In addition to Pence’s subpoena, Smith has sent subpoenas to top county elections officials in key swing states, requesting any and all communications involving Trump’s campaign. He has also issued subpoenas to 19 aides and allies who allegedly played a role in Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. In March, a federal judge ruled that Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows, as well as other aides including Dan Scavino and Stephen Miller, must testify. Trump’s attempts to block testimony from these individuals have so far been unsuccessful.
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